Folding bed



F. CONHAIM.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1918.

' 1,366,521. ,Patented Jan. 25,1921.

ET I.

F. 'CONHAIM.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5. 1918.

1,366,521 Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET Z.

V Z5 M:

F. CONH AIM.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1918- l,366,521 Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

3 SHEET$SHEET 3.

. tions whereby the said clamping means will UNITED STATES FRED CONHAIM, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FOLDING ."BED.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Application filed July 5,1918. Serial No. 243,332.

To all whom it may conoem: Be it known that I, FRED CoNHAIM, a c1t1- zen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Folding Beds, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention relates to swinging or folding beds and more especially to beds of the type which swing or fold upwardly about a horizontal axis. It is the general purpose and object of the invention to provide a bed of this character wherein the legs (or foot.

support) depending from and pivoted to the swinging end of the bed may be automatically operated by the swinging movements, whereby the legs (or foot support) will be swung inwardly and substantially against the bottom of the bed by the upward movement and will be swung outwardly into supporting position by the downward move ment, the means for so operating the legs also'serving to brace them and retain'them in their folded and unfolded positions.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bed of this character with an eiiicient clamping or securing means for the bed clothing and the mattress, with connecbe rendered effective by the upward movement of the bed but will be automatically moved out of engagement with the mattress and clothing in and through the downward movement.

Further and more limited objects of the invention will appear hereinafter and will be realized in and through'the combinations of elements embodied in the claims.

In the drawings forming part hereof, Figure 1 represents a sectional view through a bed constructed in accordance with my invention, the particular bed shown herein having its front end mounted so as to permit the bed as a whole to be swung into a closet.

Fig. 2 represents a sectional detail through the foot portionof the bed.

Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of such foot portion.

Fig. 4: represents a detail in perspective of the mechanism for clamping the mattress and clothing.

Fig. 5 represents a like detail of the front of the connection for operating the swinging foot support or legs of the bed.

The bed shown herein is mounted at its head upon a frame adapted to swing upon a vertical axis, whereby the bed in its vertical condltlon may be moved into and out of a closet, it not being intended thereby to limit my invention to beds having such movement, asit is applicable generally to all beds swlnging or folding about a horizontal axis.

Describing the various parts by reference characters, 1 denotes one of the side jambs of a doorway having the brackets 2 and 3 to which the bed-carrying This frame comprises generally an upper transverse member 4, a lower transverse member 5, suitable vertical members 6 and a frame extending horizontally from the lower transverse member and to whichthe bed is PIYOtQd The members 4, 5, and 6, and the said horizontal frame are supported by arms 7 and 8 having vertical trunnions 9 and 10 mounted in the brackets 2 and ,3, respectively. The horizontal frame comprises a pair of side members 11 connected at their rear portions by a transverse angle iron brace 12. Each side member 11 is provided with an upwardlyextending leg 13 having a foot brace 14 at its upper end. 15 denotes an angular member, mounted on each leg 13,

each member being connected to the side of the bottom frame 16 of the bed adjacent thereto and near the head thereof and the members l5 being connected by an angle ron '17, springs 18 connecting said angle iron and the angle iron 12. The upper cor-' ner of each angle member 15 is provided with a boss 19 cooperating with a recess in the foot brace 14, to lock the bed in elevated position while the lowercorner of the said member is plvotally connected to the upper end of a link 20 at 20 the lower end of said link being pivoted to the front of the lower pprtlion of the bracket arm 13, as indicated a' The swinging head 22 of the bed is connected by one or more springs 23 with the upper transverse member 4.

The parts thus far described are such as are usually employed in the so-called In-a- Dor bed.

The foot of the bed is provided with 24 pivotally connected to the bottom of bed frame, as indicated at 25, pair of transverse necting said legs.

As beds of the in-a-Dor type have been,

legs the there being a tubular braces 26 conframe is pivoted.

' them to effectively support the foot of the bed. To overcome these defects, I provide the following construction.

' A supporting base 27 is secured to the bottom flange of'the angle iron 12 in any suitable manner. As illustrated herein, the base is provided with a slot 28 adapted to receive the horizontal flange of theangle iron, and the said base is connected to the angle iron by means of a bolt 29 having a head 30 thereon provided with a pair of studs 31 projecting from opposite sides thereof, the upper end of the bolt being provided with is. nut 32' and a washer 33 may be interposed between the nut and' head if desired.

34 denotes a pair of struts interposed between the braces 26, each strut being shown as composed of a front and a rear section connected by bolts35, the rear section having lugs 36 projecting rearwardly therefrom and the front section having lugs 37 proj ecting forwardly therefrom.

A pair of rods 38 are pivoted at their front ends on the studs 31 and at their rear ends to the lugs 36, the extreme rear extremities of said rods being downwardly directed and approximately vertical, as shown at 39. It will be apparent that, as the bed is swung upwardly about its pivot 23, the rods 38 will draw the legs or foot support inwardly and toward the bottom frame of the bed, holding the legs in such folded position while the bed is in its vertical position,ready to be swung about the vertical pivots 9 and 10. When the bed is swung down, the rods 38 v will thrust the legs 24 outwardly to a vertical position and will support the said legs against folding movement.

The rods 38 also serve to operate the clamping means for the mattress and bed clothes, which will now be described.

The clamping device proper consists gen-' erally of a transversely extending plate or bar 40 carried by the upper ends of a pair of curved arms 41, the lower end of each arm being reversely curved as shown at 42. The upper part of each arm 41 is supported slidably by a saddle 43 which is pivotally connected-to lugs 44 projecting from the transverse member 45 at the foot of the bed frame, as shown at 44*. This saddle has an extended base 43, said base being supported in a yoke 46 connected to the sides of a channeled member 47 secured to the transverse member weasel Supported by opposite ends of a pin 4-8 extending through the front ends of the sides of the member 47 is a pair of link members 49. denotes a block which is interposed between the upper portions of the members 49 and is pivotally connected thereto by trunnions 51. The block 50 is slidably mounted upon a link rod 52 having a stop collar 53 near its forward end and pivotally connected at its rear end to a bolt 54 supported by the sides of the channel member 47. The bolt 54 may also conveniently support the yoke 46. 55 denotes a block the rear end whereof is pivotally supported by and between the links 49 through trunnions 56. The extreme rear end of the block is projected upwardly and the lower surface thereof is curved, as shown at 57 to provide a dog which coiiperates with the end of the lower curved branch 42 of one of the clamp operating arms.

58 denotes a rod which is connected at its upper end to the forward end of the block 55 and is provided at its lower end with a block 59 slidably mounted thereupon and provided with trunnions 60 pivotally supporting such lower end in and between the lugs 37 The rod 58 is provided with a collar 61 by means of which, openings 62, and a pin 6%, the relative movement of the rod and v of the block 59 may be adjustably determined. A spring 63 is interposed between the blocks 55 and 59, and springs 64 connect the opposite ends of the pin 48 with lugs 43 projecting laterally from opposite sides of the base of the saddle 43. The construction including the elements 4l64 inclusive, is duplicated at the opposite side of the bed. As the clamping member 41 is operated by the rods 38 against considerable resistance offered by the springs 58 and 63 -(see Fig. 2), the transverse member 12 to which the front ends ofsaid rods are connected is braced from the transverse member 5. This bracing may be conveniently effected by means of rods 65 extending through the-supporting base 27 and having nuts 66 on their rear ends, their front ends being hooked about the member 5 and preferably about a portion 8 of'the bracket 8, as shown at 66.

With the parts constructed and arranged as described, the operation will be as follows:-

Swinging or folding the bed upwardly about its horizontal axis provided inwardly and against the bottom of the bed frame, while the reverse movement will swing the legs outwardly in the manner hereinbefore described. F or convenience of description the operation of the clamping mechanism will be described first in connection with the upwardly folding movement of the bed, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1.

by the pivots 19 will result in swinging the legs '24 The parts 49 and 58 constitute a toggle, and the arrangement of the-same with reference to the link rod 52 is such that the pivotal connection 56 between the upper and lower link members is always at the rear of a line connecting the pivots 48 and 60. This prevents the toggle formed by said links from passing forward of the center 56. On swinging the bed upwardly on the pivots 28, the legs 24 are pulled inwardly by the rods 38 substantially at the beginning of the upward movement. This bends the toggles comprising the links 49'and 58, the rear ends of the blocks 55 pushing rearwardly on the branches 42 of the clamp arms, thereby rocking the saddle 43 and thrusting the clamp 40 downward into engagement with the mattress and the clothing-see Fig. 2. I

With the parts constructed as show herein, the clamp will be forced into engagement withthe' clothing and mattressby the time the foot of the bed has been elevated a short distance, about a foot, thus absolutely preventing the possibility of the mattress or the clothing slipping forwardly before the clamp engages the same.

Furthermore, the curvature of the arms 41 and the manner of operating the same cause the clamp 40 to engage the clothing and mattressdirectly and without any pushing or sliding movement along the mattress or clothing. Movement of the link members 49 forwardlybeyond the center 56 is prevented by the rod 52 and the stop collar 53 thereon. The bottoms of the yokes 46 serve as stops to limit the rocking movement of the saddle 43. lnpractice, these yokes are made of such length as to arrest the clamping movement. of the member 40 when the latter'shall have moved forwardly a distance sufiicient to enable it to engage the thinnest standard mattress. Theyalsolimit the outward or rearward movement of the branches 42 of the clamping arms( see Fig. 2) thus preventing them from striking the ceiling when the bed is folded up as well as the door jamb of a closet where-"the bed is of the ln a-Dor type. i

As the toggle link is bent rearwardly, the curved end or dog 57 on the block 55 operates against the lower end of the branch 42 of the corresponding clamp arm to thrust thesame'through the saddle, as far as the bend, after which further swinging of the legs 24 causes the end 57 tobe reversed, as shown in Fig. 2. The dog then serves to'prevent the springs 64 from rocking the saddle 43 and thus swinging the clamp 40 away.

from the mattress. b

On the reverse movement of the bed, when the legs 24- shall have been thrust toa position ap roximating the vertical,-the dog 57 moves fbrwardly with the link members '49,

relieving the clamp pressure and permitting. the springs 64 to rock'the clamp away from the mattress into the position shown in Fig. 1. In other words, the dog 57 closes the clamp against the action of the springs 64 and retains the clamp thus closed until the bed is nearly in its lowered position, whereupon the dog moves away from the branches 42 of the clamping arms'and permits the springs to open the clamp. Owing-to the thrust which is exerted upon the tubular brace 26 by the springs 58, I have provided said brace a truss rod support. This truss rod, indicated at 67 may be conveniently secured to the legs 24 as by means of collars 68. The rod is preferably made of two parts connected by a turn-buckle 69 and passes from the collars beneath any suitable struts, which may be conveniently formed as slotted extensions 70 of the front section of each strut 34.

While I have shown my mechanism for swinging the legs 24 and for operating the mattress clamp 40 as associated with a bed adapted to be swung on a vertical pivot into and out of a closet, I do not propose thereby to be limited in its application to beds of this type. Furthermore, while I have necessarily shown and described my invention in detail, I do not propose thereby to be limited, to such details of construction except as the same may be positively included in the claims hereto annexed'or as such limitations may be rendered necessary. by the state of the prior, art. Furthermore while I have designated the swinging supports 24, 26 as a leg or legs in certain of the claims. I do not propose to be limited thereby to exclude constructions wherein the swinging supportmay not assume the form of a leg or legs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is movement of the bed about its axis for swinging the legs about their respective pivots, a mattress clamp and means for pivotally supporting the same, andme'ans connected with said struts for moving the said clamp about its pivotal support.

2. The combination, with a bed and means for supportingthe same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a pair of legs pivotally connected to one end of said bed, a pair of cross members connecting said legs, struts interposed between said cross members, means connected with said struts and operative by the movement of the bed about its axis for moving. said legs about their respective pivots, a pair of saddles and means for pivotally supporting the same, a clamping bar, reversely curved arms having their upper ends connected with said bar and each extending through a saddle, a block pivotally connected to each strut, a rod slidably mounted in each block, a block connected with the opposite end of each rod and having a rearwardly extending dog having a rocking engagement with the lower end of each arm, two pairs of links, means pivotally supporting the upper ends of each pair of links, means pivotally connecting each of the last mentioned blocks, to a pair of links, a block pivotally connected between and to each pair of links above the second block, a pivotally supported rod extending through each of the third blocks, a spring surrounding the first mentioned rod between the blocks thereon, one or more springs connected with each saddle and tend ing to rock the same in a direction to move the clamping bar away from the bed.

3. The combination, .with a bed and a frame for supporting the same for movement about'a horizontal axis, of a pair of legs pivotally connected to one end of said bed, a pair of cross members connecting said legs, struts interposed between said cross members, a pair of saddles and means for pivotally supporting the same, a clamping bar, reversely curved arms having their upper ends connected with said bar and each extending through a saddle, a block pivotally connected to each strut, a rod slidably mounted in each block, a block connected with the opposite end of each rod and having a rearwardly extending dog having a rocking engagement with the lower end of each arm, a pair of links, means pivotally supporting the upper ends of each pair of links, means pivotally connecting each of the last mentioned blocks to a pair of links, a block pivotally connected between and to each pair of links above the second block, a pivotally supported rod extending through each of the third blocks, a spring surrounding the first mentioned rod between the blocks thereon, one or more springs connected with each saddle and tending to rock the same in a direction to move the clamping bar away from the bed, a pair of transverse members on said frame, braces connecting the same, and rods pivotally connected to one of said transverse members and to said struts.

4. The combination, with a bed and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a pair of le s pivotally connected to one end of said be a pair of cross members connecting said legs, struts interposed between said cross members, means connected with said struts and operative by the movement of the bed about its axis for moving said legs about their respective pivots, a pair of saddles and means for pivotally supporting the same, a clamping bar, reversely curved arms connected at their upper ends with said bar and each extending through a saddle, a toggle link member pivotally connected to each strut, atoggle link member pivotally connected to the first mentioned toggle link member, a dog connected with one member of each toggle and bearing against the lower end of each of said arms and adapted by the bending movement of the toggle to rock said saddle, and a spring connected with each of said saddles for rocking the latter during the straightening movement of each toggle.

5. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a swinging member pivotally connected to said bed, connections for swinging said member through the movement of said bed about its axis, a clamping bar, a curved arm connected thereto, a saddle through which said arm extends, means pivotally supporting said saddle from said bed frame, and means for rocking said saddle, a toggle one link whereof is connected to said swinging member and the other link whereof is pivotally supported from the bed frame, means connected with one of said links for rocking the saddle to move the clamp into operative relation to the bed when the toggle is bent, and means connected with said saddle for rocking the same in a reverse direction when the toggle is strai htened.

6. he combination, with a bed frame and means for su portingv the same for movement about a orizontal axis, of a swinging member pivotally connected to said bed, connections for swinging said member through the movement of said bed about its axis, a clamping bar, a curved arm connected there-v to, a saddle through which said arm extends, means pivotally supporting said saddle from said bed frame, and means for rocking said saddle including a toggle having an extensible link pivotally connected to said swinging member and a link pivotally connected to the bed frame and to the first mentioned link, a dog carried by said toggle adjacent the point of connection of said links and c0- operating with said arms to rock the saddle, thereby to move the clamp into operative relation with the bed, and a spring conne'cted with said saddle and acting in opposition to said dog.

7. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a pair of legs pivotally connected to the swinging end of the frame, a brace connecting said legs, a mattress clamp, connections whereby the swinging or folding of the bed about its axis will swing said legs about their pivots, connections between said brace and said mattress clamp for operating the latter, a truss rod connected at the opposite ends to said legs, and one or more struts interposed between said rod and said brace.

8. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a pair of legs pivotally connected to the swinging end of the frame, an upper and a lower brace connecting said legs, struts interposed between said braces and each having an extension projecting below the lower brace, a mattress clamp, connections whereby the swinging or folding of the bed about its axis Will swing said legs about their pivots, connections between said braces and said mattress clamp for operating the latter, and a truss rod connected at opposite ends to said legs and passing beneath the extensions of said struts.

9. The combination, with a bed frame, and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a supporting member pivotally connected to the swinging end of the frame, a mattress clamp pivotally-supported by said frame, a toggle connected at its opposite ends to said member and to said frame, a device connected to said member for moving the same inwardly and outwardly through the upward and downward movement of said frame about its axis, means for maintaining the connection between the toggle links at one side of a line extending through their end connections, and an operative connection between said toggle and said clamp.

10. The combination, with a bed frame,

and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a supporting member pivotally connected to the swinging end of thev bed, a mattress clamp pivotally supported by said frame, a toggle connecting the said member and the said frame, a device connected to said member for moving the same inwardly and outwardly through the upward and downward movement of saidframe about its axis, and an operative connection between said toggle and said clamp.

11. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a support for one end of said bed pivotally connected to the swinging end of said frame, a pair of toggle members pivotally connected respectively to said supportlng means and to said frame and having their adjacent ends pivotally connected, amattress clamp pivotall'y supported by said frame, means for maintaining the pivotal connection between said toggle members on one slde of a line connecting-the ends thereof, and connections between said to gle and said mattress clamp for operating the latter through the movement of thesaid support toward the said frame.

12. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a support for one end of said bed pivotally connected to the swinging end of said frame, a pair of toggle members pivotally connected respectively to said supporting means and to said frame and having their adjacent ends pivotally connected, a mattress clamp pivotally supported by said frame, an operative connection between said toggle and said mattress clamp for operating the latter through the movement of said support in one direction, and means for moving said clamp in the opposite direction.

13. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a supporting member pivotally connected to said frame adjacent to the swinging end thereof, a mattress clamp comprising a pair of curved arms, supports for said arms pivoted to said frame and in which said arms may slide, and connections between said swinging member and said, arms for operating the latter through the movements of said member toslidably supporting said clamp, and means operative by the movement of said supporting member toward and from said frame for imparting a pivotal and sliding movement to said clamp.

15. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a sup porting member pivotally connected to said frame adjacent the swinging end thereof, a mattress clamp comprising a pair of curved arms, a pivoted yoke carried by said frame for each of said arms and through which it extends, saddles also pivoted to said frame and each connected to an arm, and connections between the said supporting member and each arm for rocking said yokes and saddles.

16. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a'horizontal axis, of a supporting member pivotally connected to sa1d frame adjacent the swinging end thereof, a mattress clamp, a pivotal support for said clamp connected to said frame and in which said clamp is slidably supported, and connections between said supporting member and said clamp for sliding the same in its pivotal support, said clamp having a portion adapted to engage its support and thereby rock the same.

17. The combination, with a bed frame and means for supporting the same for movement about a horizontal axis, of a supporting member pivotally connected to said frame adjacent the swinging end thereof, a mattress clamp, means pivotally supporting the same from said frame, a toggle comprising a pair of pivotally connected members having their ends connected respectively to said frame and to said swinging member, means carried by said toggle "for rocking said clamp through the movement of the 10 supporting member in one direction, and a. spring connected with said clamp for moving it in the opposite direction during the reverse movement of the supporting member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my 15 signature.

FRED CONHAIM. 

